Croyle begins his job as Chiefs’ starting quarterback
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star

Brodie Croyle stood at a podium, his hands buried deep in his pockets, as he calmly and politely answered questions in his Dixie drawl.

On the outside, Croyle was calm, composed and as laid back as a country boy from Alabama could be.

On the inside, he was churning.

Croyle, the Chiefs’ third-round pick from Alabama in 2006, will make his first NFL start Sunday at Indianapolis against Peyton Manning and the Super Bowl champion Colts.

And the day can’t get here soon enough.

“I’m anxious,” said Croyle, 24. “What better stage can you go onto? Going in there and playing one of the best quarterbacks who has ever played, playing a great defense and the defending Super Bowl champs.

“This is something that I’ve been working for since I was a young kid. It’s finally here.”

Croyle’s first full work day as the Chiefs’ No. 1 quarterback began with some razzing from his teammates, who formally initiated him as the starter with some good-natured ribbing — especially from defensive end Jared Allen, who proclaimed him “The Golden Boy.”

“He promised six touchdown passes this week,” Allen boasted.

Croyle rolled his eyes.

“I’m so ready for this week to be over so Jared Allen will be quiet,” Croyle said. “He’s always got something smart to say … Every wisecrack the quarterback gets, I’ve heard every one at least 10 times.”

It was more serious on the practice field, when Croyle worked exclusively with the No. 1 unit as opposed to dividing time as the backup to Damon Huard.

“Obviously, it’s a different feeling,” Croyle said. “Knowing you’re the backup, you have to be ready to go in at any point in time. Now, they’re saying, ‘Here’s the ball, go score some points, go win some games.’ It’s definitely different from that point of view.

“There are still some things I’m trying to figure out about certain receivers. We’ll get there.”

And there are some adjustments the receivers have to make to Croyle, who throws with more velocity than Huard.

“Brodie has that young arm,” said tight end Tony Gonzalez, the Chiefs’ leading receiver with 55 catches and four touchdowns. “That ball is coming. It’s coming. It’s one thing I kid him about, and I’m half-serious, too: ‘Hey, sometime take a little off that ball. Make it a little easy on us.’ That’s just him. That’s just how he’s thrown ever since I’ve been playing with him, like a Brett Favre throw, and it’s something you have to prepare for.

“He’s going to give us a different dimension. He’s more mobile. Damon has been beat up. He’s a little bit older. With Brodie coming in, he has fresh legs, he can get out of the pocket, he can move around. We need him to do that. He’ll make plays with his feet.”

Croyle has appeared in three games in relief of Huard, all in desperate situations in losses to Chicago, Jacksonville and Denver. He has completed 27 of 47 passes for 300 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but it will be a whole new ballgame as the starter.

“Every game, I’ve been trying to play catch-up,” he said. “They knew we were going to throw the ball. There have been some small windows here and there, but I’m excited about the opportunity to have them off-balance and have our whole playbook to throw at them instead of our 2-minute offense.”

Croyle had an opportunity to claim the starting job in training camp, but some untimely interceptions in preseason games derailed that opportunity. He believes he has learned from his mistakes.

“I learned a lot from it,” said Croyle. “I learned a lot of things not to do. Everything I’ve gone after to win, I’ve usually won. I had to learn to deal with not winning a job. I think that helped me grow, mature.

“When I had my opportunities to play this year, we didn’t play like we did in the preseason and did not make the same mistakes. It ultimately might have helped me with my teammates, too, how they saw me regroup after all that had happened.”

His family, too, has watched how Croyle has picked himself up from failing to win the starting job and having to watch from the sidelines. His parents, John and Tee, have not missed a game this year, and they’ll join Croyle’s wife, Kelli, and his sister and brother-in-law at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on Sunday.

“The preseason was tough, but he got through it, and it made him better and got him ready for now,” John Croyle said. “Brodie had the best of both worlds; he had Damon and Trent Green both showing him the ropes. He’s ready to go because they trained him. Coach Edwards believes in him, or he wouldn’t be playing.”

John Croyle, who played for Bear Bryant’s 1973 national championship team at Alabama, sees no fear in his son. He remembered Brodie’s first game at Alabama when he was sent into the game as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma.

“We didn’t think he was going to play, and all of a sudden we looked up and he was in,” John Croyle said, “Afterward, he said, ‘It was fun.’ I asked, ‘Were you nervous?’ and he said, ‘No, sir, I knew what to do.’

“He doesn’t get nervous.

“Mike Shula (former Alabama coach) said it best when he said, ‘The bigger the situation, the slower (Brodie’s) heartbeat.’ He loves to play.”

the Talking Can

11-15-2007, 07:56 PM

John Croyle, who played for Bear Bryant’s 1973 national championship team at Alabama, sees no fear in his son. He remembered Brodie’s first game at Alabama when he was sent into the game as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma.

“We didn’t think he was going to play, and all of a sudden we looked up and he was in,” John Croyle said, “Afterward, he said, ‘It was fun.’ I asked, ‘Were you nervous?’ and he said, ‘No, sir, I knew what to do.’

“He doesn’t get nervous.

“Mike Shula (former Alabama coach) said it best when he said, ‘The bigger the situation, the slower (Brodie’s) heartbeat.’ He loves to play.”

me likey

KC Tattoo

11-15-2007, 08:06 PM

This is the first time this season that I am exited to watch the Chiefs play and they are going against the Colts. It was dreadfull to watch Huard, now we get to see our QBOTF I think Brodie is going to do great. I don't know if he will do great against the Colts but he will be fun to watch and so will the rest of the team. Go Brodie.

nepacankissmya$$

11-15-2007, 08:18 PM

This is the first time this season that I am exited to watch the Chiefs play and they are going against the Colts. It was dreadfull to watch Huard, now we get to see our QBOTF I think Brodie is going to do great. I don't know if he will do great against the Colts but he will be fun to watch and so will the rest of the team. Go Brodie.

I agree tattoo. Finally they make the decision to start Croyle and now he has to start against the Colts. Watching Croyle against the Colts has to be better than watching Huard agains them. GO BRODIE!

Easy 6

11-15-2007, 08:54 PM

I cant wait 'til this guy gets comfortable.

Just got done watching the donk game from the point that he went in.

Its simply night & day between he & Huard...the drop is faster, he sets up faster, the ball comes out quicker, it gets there faster, its a tight & accurate spiral on the way, he'll take the deep shot when it looks good...EVERYTHING is different.

He zipped one DIRECTLY into Bowes gut with Bly ALL over him & he had 2 long throws to Bigfoot & Bowe that, had they been just SLIGHTLY better...would have been good for 14 points.

He will win games for us.

FAX

11-15-2007, 09:31 PM

One thing is for certain. If Brodie starts checking down a lot, we'll know it's the coaching.

FAX

FAX

11-15-2007, 09:40 PM

I like the fact that Croyle distributes the ball and gets all the recievers involved. I also hope he doesnt take any velocity off the ball. Once the recievers get used to catching it, the harder it will be for defenders to intercept (for multiple reasons)

One would think it would be easier to catch a ball that hits you in the numbers as opposed to one that's 6 feet over your head, Mr. findthedr.

Regardless of the velocity.

FAX

ArrowheadHawk

11-15-2007, 10:00 PM

this is the start of a new generation or it could just be keeping the qb position warm for chad pennington

KC Tattoo

11-15-2007, 10:08 PM

no joke! It will also force the recievers to start catching em with their hands instead of into their body. Brodie's laser throws will leave welts.

I think I remember in preseason (maybe last yr) him throwing to Bennett and knocking him backward.

I thought it was Quenten Griffen? Nocked him on his Asz

Oh Snap

11-15-2007, 10:11 PM

He zipped one DIRECTLY into Bowes gut with Bly ALL over him & he had 2 long throws to Bigfoot & Bowe that, had they been just SLIGHTLY better...would have been good for 14 points.

That will happen once he gets his timing down with is recievers. This is why herm should have started him much sooner.

Smed1065

11-15-2007, 10:47 PM

I am excited to see a drafted QB start and play for this team. I have been a fan for a long time and this will be the first I remember in a long, long time. Actually I do not remember one. Well no more than 3 games in a row.

This has much more up potential than down, IMO.

Considering the times and requirements of a successful modern NFL team, this starts an new era even if it takes more than one trial and error.

Gotta start somewhere.

I think many will be surprised if we give BC a real chance.

Tribesman

11-15-2007, 11:08 PM

no joke! It will also force the recievers to start catching em with their hands instead of into their body. Brodie's laser throws will leave welts.

I think I remember in preseason (maybe last yr) him throwing to Bennett and knocking him backward.
I recall a TV segment about Brett Favre a few years back. They interviewed Antonio Freeman and showed how the joints on his fingers were bulged and knotted from the dislocations and jams he had received from all of the rocket passes he caught from Favre. Amazing how that can disfigure ones fingers. Poor guy will probably suffer with arthritis later if he hasn't already.